Eco-Giveaway: The Coolest Green Toy!!

We rated the Recycle Truck from Green Toys the coolest green truck in the market, and a great concept!

Become Fan of Eco.Logical.Mom on Facebook by December 12, 2009 and be entered to win this fantastic Christmas gift!

Made in the US from 100% recycled milk jugs, your little one will learn recycling basics with this eco truck. It has a movable recycling bed and open/shut rear door.

Good Luck!

Food Intolerance versus Allergies - Part I

Leanne Cooper, a nutritionist from Organic Bubs, released a useful guide for parents about food intolerance and allergies. Kids are very sensitive to new ingredients, and understanding the differences between intolerance and allergy may be very helpful.

Below is the first part of the report. Stay tuned for the second and third parts tomorrow and Wednesday!

Food Intolerance versus Allergies - Part I

"Often the term "allergy" & "intolerance" are used interchangeably. Be aware that self-diagnosing can be risky, as not all reactions to food are what they seem. In fact, "allergy" & "intolerance" are different.

A food allergy involves an immune response to a food protein or similar large molecule. A good example is cows' milk protein allergy or peanut allergy.

Definitions of food intolerance are a little less clear. Generally, it is easier to think of it as a non-immune response where the body is unable to deal with a food compound. One of the best known examples is lactose intolerance where a baby may not have sufficient lactose (a digestive enzyme) to digest milk sugars. Food intolerance is much more common than food allergies.

While kids' immune system is still developing reactions to some foods may occur even in infants who do not have a family history. Foods that commonly cause reactions include: gluten/wheat, dairy products, soy, eggs, fish & shell fish, tree nuts, citrus fruit and tomatoes.


If there is a history of food allergies, eczema or asthma in the family (particularly in a breastfeeding mother) it is recommended that a health professional be consulted. We don’t recommend restricting a child’s diet unless under professional supervision so that nutrients lost from the restricted food is gained elsewhere. Babies are growing at such a phenomenal rate that it is essential they get all the nutrition possible."

Blossom: Part Deux

Since I was so close by, I dropped by vegan eatery Blossom Uptown after the Macy's balloon viewing. I'm rarely in this part of the city, except when I frequent Central Park in the summer. So I figured...pourquoi pas?

To drink, my favorite of late: New York City tap water.

Possibly the best butternut squash soup I've ever had. Served with cinnamon croutons and a slice of bread, $6.

When ordering, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. The soup would have been enough.

Fettuccine in a cashew alfredo sauce with soy cutlets, $17. Their version included spinach, garlic and mushrooms. Good thing I brought my reusable container. I brought more than half of this heavenly dish home to enjoy again.


I didn't have room for their chocolate cake, $6, which is making my mouth water just writing about it. But I will be back. The quality of the food and the friendly service makes Blossom (both Chelsea and Uptown) one of my favorite veg spots in the city. I like both Blossoms, but lean slightly toward the Uptown location.

Visit Blossom Uptown, 466 Columbus Avenue (between 82nd and 83rd), New York City

While there, I dropped off some literature for my Advocacy Campaign Team friends at Farm Sanctuary. Lit dropping is a super-easy form of advocacy for busy, on-the-go activists.

Eco-Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations KIM SWINTON GROBASKI! You are the winner of our Eco-Giveaway, a beautiful $70 Patemm Pad.
Please contact us at EcoLogicalMom@ymail.com to redeem your prize.

Shrimp Remoulade

Christmas Eve never got officially underway in our family until my mother arrived with her Shrimp Remoulade. I think everyone wished we could have it on other holidays as well, but it was understood, if unspoken, we'd only have it Christmas Eve. Mother served the remoulade in a particularly hideous plastic clam shell. It was huge. God it was a frightful thing......can't imagine where she got it. Anyway, when Mother got older and cooking anything at all got beyond her (it happens) I took over the responsibility. And although the clam shell was passed on to me, it mysteriously disappeared.

I don't make the remoulade as often as I used to which is strange because my boys especially love it. This year though, they are going to be surprised: we are going to a friend's home for Christmas Eve and the hostess is going to make it. Mother's recipe was included in a family cookbook I did a couple years ago and she has a copy.

Because I made the remoulade for a cocktail party last week, I took photos as I went along (The blogger's ongoing obsession with photos!) so I could eventually post it. It's always a big hit and while I suppose you could eat it right away, it really needs to sit in the fridge for 24 hours so the flavors can meld. We never serve it with crackers, just some pretty party picks placed nearby.

Mother's Shrimp Remoulade

Ingredients:

3 pounds cooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 cups salad oil
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons red hot pepper sauce
2 chopped hard boiled eggs, chopped fine
1 cup celery, small dice
1/4 cup parsley, minced
2 tablespoons scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon green pepper, small dice

Method:

Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, paprika and hot pepper sauce in a bowl. Whisk briskly and then add remaining ingredients.

Add shrimp. Mix well. 

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Stir often. We never served this with crackers, just had some pretty toothpicks alongside.

Let's Make It a "Good" Christmas and Hanukah

Kmart, Walmart, Gap, Banana Republic, among others: all open for business Thanksgiving Day, according to my local paper. Right below the story on the pre-Black Friday rush - an article on food pantries seeing record demand.

The day of dietary excess is always followed by a day of materialistic excess, but now they seem to be on the same day. I once heard the saying, "It's not a bargain if you don't need it." A simple yet powerful mantra to reflect on. No doorbusters for me today, only busting the myth that over-spending and shopping need to be part of a holiday.

"We've become a nation measuring out our lives in shopping bags and nursing our psychic ills through retail therapy," The Chicago Tribune lamented on Christmas Eve 1986. This statement can just as easily and accurately be invoked in 2009.

Even two years after Ben Stein reflected on what makes a "good" Christmas or Hanukah, his sentiments seem as relevant as ever, and creates clarity on what really matters most.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Says Stein:

"Maybe a good Christmas for this most blessed of nations would be when we as a nation and as communities made sure the homeless had a warm, safe place to sleep.

Maybe a good Christmas would not be about buying your kids the latest gizmo for listening to obscene lyrics, but about teaching them that if they are fortunate enough to have extra time or extra money, they can help out at the old age home or at the local animal shelter.

Maybe a good time would not be buying your parents sweaters they will never use, but taking a trip to see them and telling them how much you appreciate that they spent the heart of their lives taking care of you, feeding you, teaching you, putting a roof over your head, warming you with their love and concern.

Maybe the best time of all would be telling your husband or your wife or love partner that you would be lost without him or her and that you're sorry for the selfish things you did that year, and you'll be better next year.

Christmas and Hanukah presents rarely fit and rarely are to your taste. They sit in your closet and collect dust forever.

But gifts in this special, sacred time of love and caring to your family, your friends, and your neighborhood - those are never forgotten. They bring peace of mind for years."

Read the full commentary.

Find a local food bank through Feeding America. In Northern New Jersey, donate to the Center for Food Action.

Wheely Fun

What a cutie! Awarded multiple times in Australia as best toy for kids, the Wheely Bug is a fun ride. And it helps the little ones develop their motor skills.
Made of plywood, aluminum and polyurethane leather, it comes in 2 sizes and different shapes: bee, cow, mouse and tiger.

Final Days to Participate in our EcoGiveaway!

Become a Fan of Eco.Logical.Mom on Facebook by November 28, 2009 and be entered to win a $70 Patemm Pad, a great solution for diaper bags.

Click now to become a fan!

Thanksgiving Eve Magic

Each year the day before Thanksgiving, revelers young in age, and some just young at heart, gather outside the American Museum of Natural History in New York City to watch the balloons blown up for Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. I was one of the wide-eyed spectators again this year.

Getting there as soon as it begins at 3 PM means beating the crowds, and just finding some of the balloons in a semi-deflated state.

Getting ready for showtime: Macy's workers.

Too short? Get a lift! There's a lot to see...

...just take a look:









Being a child of the 80s, I was a serious Smurf fan. I'm talking figurines, sheet set, Smurfette lunch box, Smurfette Halloween costume in the second grade. I even had a Smurf game for ColecoVision (remember that?)

Even a few doggies joined in on the fun.

Remember when simple things made so many of us happy?

Believe in the magic of feeling like a kid again.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cancer survivors, doctors in Somerville blast fed's mammogram recommendation

SOMERVILLE -- Cancer survivors and doctors in Somerville today blasted last week’s federal recommendation that women not get mammograms before age 50, saying the panel that made the recommendation were putting numbers before people’s lives.

Last week the federally-appointed U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that women under age 50 should not receive mammograms, contending the risks involved with the procedure outweigh benefits before that time.

The recommendations have generated controversy since they were made, and U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7th Dist.), cancer survivors and doctors joined the chorus of critics today.

“None of the people that wrote that report have ever taken care of a patient,” said Dr. Angela Landfranchi, chair of the Breast Cancer Institute at the Steeplechase Cancer Center at Somerset Medical Center. “They made a calculation that one life saved out of 1,900 isn’t worth it.”

Radiologist Dr. Gail Eliot, left, looks at a digital mammogram while talking to transcriber Pat Giannini at Chilton Memorial Hospital's Comprehensive Breast Center.

The task force report stated that one out of every approximately 1,900 women under 50 who receive a mammogram learn they have cancer, pre-cancerous growth or receive a false positive test. The report said anxiety caused by a large number of false positive tests and more invasive treatments that often follow, such as biopsies, outweigh the rewards of getting mammograms as a younger woman.

Whitehouse Station resident Kathy Petrozelli, 49, was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer last year.

“I’d hate to think what might have happened if I hadn’t gotten a routine mammogram at 48 and instead had waited until I was 50,” Petrozelli said.

Deborah Belfatto, executive director and co-founder of breast cancer awareness group Susan G. Komen for the Cure, said if the recommendations issued last week were to become conventional wisdom “all the work Komen for the Cure has done would go up in smoke.”

Lance, whose mother died of breast cancer, said he hopes Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will reject the recommendations because “a tremendous hole is left in any family who loses a member to breast cancer.”

Read more:http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2009/11/cancer_survivors_doctors_in_so.html

TiVo heading to the UK - Will take on Sky Plus with new service in 2010

TiVo, the US equivalent of Sky Plus is coming to the UK following a deal with Virgin Media announced on Tuesday.

The news, broken during the American companies earnings results will see a "long-term, strategic partnership with Virgin Media," says Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo.

According to the two companies the deal will involve TiVo developing a converged television and broadband interactive interface to power Virgin Media's next generation, high definition set top boxes.

"TiVo will offer Virgin Media's nearly four million UK customers TiVo's advanced television software and user interface on both its traditional and DVR set-top boxes, including TiVo's broadband to the television capabilities," confirmed Rogers.

Virgin Media currently anticipates its first TiVo co-branded product in 2010.

Read more : http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/29790/tivo-signs-deal-virgin-media

Flu Chart

We saw this cool Flu Chart, released by Stroller Traffic, and thought our readers would find it useful! It is a very straight forward comparison symptoms of colds, seasonal flu and h1n1. Definitely worth checking.

Click here to access the chart.

Drop Side Crib Alert

Another recall was issued today for drop side cribs. This time the recall is from Stork Craft Cribs. Four babies have died and 31 others have been entrapped or injured in one of the 2.1 million Stork Craft cribs recalled today.

The Consumer Reports organization has been warning about the dangers of drop-side cribs, and has urged industry to eliminate this design in favor of safer, fixed side models.

If you have any drop side crib, we urge you to check the model number and consult the manufacturer's website for recalls.

For details on the Stork Craft recall, please logon to US Consumer Product Safety Commission

To all my dear readers, I wish you a most....

Thanksliving Dinner: Turkeys in Our Hearts, Not on The Table

This Sunday, I gathered with about 40 others in sharing a humane pre-Thanksgiving dinner held by God's Creatures Ministry.

Each place setting included a key chain that said "Contentment" and on the back a quote:

"Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don't need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity" - Enough by Adam Hamilton.

Whether you invoke this as a prayer or just a philosophy, they are thoughtful words to remember as we enter the holiday season of dietary and materialistic excess.

Now, for the meal. Can't go wrong with grapes alongside hummus and French onion pita chips from veg-friendly Trader Joe's.

My beverage choice: sparkling cider. I was the designated driver for the evening.

Tofurkey and all the trimmings: stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and rolls.

A sampling of desserts: rice pudding, chocolate cake, and my favorite of the evening, apple crisp.

I love tricky tray auctions! I was pining over this basket filled with Trader Joe's goodies. It went home with someone else.


I met so many caring activists, including representatives from the League of Humane Voters, Friends of Wayne Animals, all-creatures.org, and the Animal Protection League of New Jersey.

Every Thanksgiving, millions of Americans place a turkey in their cart, just as it was another item such as cranberry sauce or green beans. I would guess that most give little thought, as they do with most animal products, about the life of the turkey. Many with crippling foot and leg problems due to their genetically-manipulated weight; transported under horrid conditions (they can be legally transported for up to 28 hours without food, water or rest); and slaughtered in even worse conditions (turkeys and other poultry are excluded from the Humane Slaughter Act), all according to Farm Sanctuary. Learn more.

They eat it simply because they are trained to. Because this is part of a "tradition." Well this is one cruel tradition I've broken from for two decades, and am proud to do so again this year. I don't want to celebrate gratitude and life by causing death, simply because that's what the rest of society embraces.

Be proud to shun turkey this year if you are the lone vegetarian at your table. In the film Ratatouille, the once embittered food critic Anton Ego who has had a new awakening said, "The world is often unkind to new talent, new creations. The new needs friends." People are afraid or mock veg diets because they are new - unknown, different. Stand tall, knowing that you are a pioneer and friend of the new.

Kids Watching Hours of TV at Home-Based Daycare

A recent study published today about home-based day care reported that about 70% of the programs use television daily. The study found that among preschool-aged children, those in home-based day cares watched TV for 2.4 hours per day on average, compared to 24 minutes in larger childcare centers. Toddlers watched an average of 1.6 hours in home care and about 6 minutes in centers. That is certainly not what many parents have signed up for!

The figures come from a telephone survey of licensed child care programs in Michigan, Washington, Florida and Massachusetts.

For more information about the study, logon to msnbc.com.

Just Bag It

At lunchtime, I've been brown-bagging lunch (in a reusable bag, of course!) for most of my professional career. There's so much environmental waste with takeout food (think food container, plastic utensils wrapped in more plastic, then put in a paper bag often inside a plastic bag). Bring your own reusable silverware, plate, glass and mug to work, and prove Kermit wrong: it is easy being green.

What's equally as wasteful: our hard-earned money. Check out the AARP's Lunch Savings Calculator. If you spend, for instance, $6.50 daily for a lunch and drink, and a bagged lunch is $3, you could save $70 a month. After four years, that's nearly $4,000!

The key to bringing lunch: variety, variety, variety. For cookbooks, I head to the library, but mainly, I take to the web.

VegCooking's Two-Week Sample Vegan Menus is filled with ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
*Just in time for Thanksgving, try a Tofurky Sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and Vegenaise, pretzels, and an apple. Why should you skip turkey? Here's why.
*Why have a meat chili, when you can have a healthier and humane alternative? Try ready-made vegan chili (i.e., Boca frozen chili; Yves and Lightlife refrigerated chili; or Hormel canned chili), tortilla chips, and fresh avocado drizzled with lime juice.
*Creamy pasta salad with artichoke hearts, crusty Italian bread and fresh fruit sound like perfect picnic fare.
*No mercury in this lunch. Try a Veggie "Tuna" Salad, pita bread or crackers, and fresh-cut vegetables. Check out 10 Reasons Not to Eat Tuna.

Thanks VegCooking!

Explore out ChooseVeg's vegan lunch recipes. No vegan show on the Food Network? No problem. Watch videos for eggless egg salad, carrot soup, ratatouille, and much more. Don't forget an occasional treat: chocolate chip cookies, the perfect lunchbox edition.

Soup's on! But not at $5 for a bowl. Make an entire pot for about the same price or less. Visit out About.com's Vegetarian Soups and Vegetarian Chili Recipes.

Wraps=rip-off when you buy them at the deli. I've seen them for as high as $7. I start with a whole wheat wrap, add hummus, organic lettuce, and avocado or roasted red peppers. Ditto for salad. Who wants to pay $8 for some lettuce and toppings?

Feel like a 2nd grader again. Who doesn't love PB&J? There's even a restaurant, Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop, in New York City devoted to the timely classic. Pack your pb&J of choice (I prefer grape). Serve with carrots, potato chips, and non-dairy milk, like you get at the shop.

Now I wonder what people would say if I showed up to work with this?

How Much Tuna Can You Eat Safely?

If you have tuna lovers at home, check this Tuna Calculator. Based on your weight and gender, it calculates safe quantities to be consumed, within acceptable mercury levels.
Source: ewg.org

Wooden Blocks, a Classic for Christmas

Get 100 brightly colored blocks in a variety of versatile shapes with this set from Melissa & Doug. Wooden blocks provide an opportunity for a child to build towers, castles, or dollhouses, practicing their fine motor skills. And it is very affordable, under $20 at Amazon.com

Ina's Pumpkin Mousse

Still need something for Thanksgiving dessert?

Well you might want to mull this one over. Ina Garten has a bunch of pumpkin mousse recipes in her repertoire. Some have a banana in it, some dark rum, some are made with a graham cracker crust. I prefer the one with dark rum. Quelle surprise.

You make it a day (or two) before Thanksgiving and stick it in the fridge. And flavorful? Oh yes. No last minute fussing on Thanksgiving day either. You just stick a whole gingersnap in the top and serve. Only takes about 15 minutes to make too. Can't beat that. And you can really play around with nice glasses to serve it in. I like the wine glass best (although I filled it too full). I've also made it in small ice tea glasses, highball glasses and once in some pretty glass bowls. Ya gotta have glass so you can see the layers.

If you can't use it this year, copy it and save it for next year. I have a whole file like that!
 
Pumpkin Mousse
(Adapted from Barefoot Contessa At Home)
 

 
Ingredients:
 
1/4 cup dark rum
1 packet (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin powder
1  15 ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
2 extra-large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 chopped gingersnaps
8-10 whole gingersnaps
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped and sweetened lightly

Method:

Place the rum in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Set aside for 10 minutes or so.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, sugar, brown sugar, egg yolks, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Melt the gelatin over hot water until it is clear. Immediately whisk the gelatin into the pumpkin mixture.
Whip the heavy cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Mix into the pumpkin mixture.
In another bowl, whip the last 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and sweeten it with sugar slightly.

To assemble: spoon some of the pumpkin mixture into glasses. Add a layer of whipped cream, some broken gingersnaps and repeat the layers, ending with a layer of pumpkin. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
To serve, place a whole gingersnap into whipped cream.
Serves 8-10 depending on glass size.

Eco Giveaway Reminder: a $70 Patemm Pad!

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to participate in our Eco Giveaway! Become a Fan of Eco.Logical.Mom on Facebook by November 28, 2009 and be entered to win a $70 Patemm Pad, a smart and practical solution for diaper bags.

Its round design allows you to place your little one in any direction. You can store diapers, wipes, and even a set of clothes in the pockets. The Mare print is one of Patemm's top sellers, made of 100% regular cotton and machine-washable.

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Daily portion of chocolate will keep wrinkles at bay

It sounds too good to be true, but scientists have found that nibbling a bit of chocolate each day can prevent signs of ageing caused by the sun and may even lower the risk of skin cancer.

However, bear in mind that these benefits come only from dark chocolate high in flavanols.

These are the antioxidants - compounds known to prevent cell damage - found naturally in cocoa beans, the main ingredient in chocolate. But most chocolate goods on sale in the UK have had their antioxidant capacity greatly reduced during processing.

Previous studies have found flavanol-rich dark chocolate can lower the risk of blood clots, protect against bowel cancer and even help prevent premature births.

Researchers found that the skin of volunteers who ate dark chocolate high in flavanols was more resistant to the damaging effects of UV light than those who didn't. Their report said: ‘High-flavanol chocolate protects the skin from harmful UV effects. The main mechanism is likely to be the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of cocoa flavanols. But conventional chocolate had no such effect.'

Dr Nick Lowe, a spokesman for the British Association of Dermatologists, said the study showed ‘very interesting and important findings'.

Source: http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/health/429534/daily-portion-of-chocolate-will-keep-wrinkles-at-bay.html

Hepatitis B hits men harder than women due to an abnormal protein

Researchers are trying to explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women.

The study has been published in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.

Shuhan Sun, Fang Wang and colleagues note that chronic hepatitis B seems to progress and cause liver damage faster in men, with men the main victims of the virus's most serious complications -- cirrhosis and liver cancer. Men infected with HBV also are 6 times more likely than women to develop a chronic form of the disease.

About 400 million people worldwide have chronic hepatitis B, including a form that is highly infectious and can be transmitted through blood, saliva, and sexual contact.

In experiments with laboratory mice, the scientists found abnormal forms of apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), a protein involved in fighting inflammation, in the livers of infected male mice but not infected females. They then identified abnormal forms of these Apo A-I proteins in blood of men infected with HBV, but not in women. In addition to explaining the gender differences, the proteins may provide important markers for tracking the progression of hepatitis B, the scientists suggest.

Source: http://www.healthnewstrack.com/health-news-1904.html

Quinoa: Nutritious and Delicious

Quinoa is a delicious seed and an excellent alternative for rice. It is very rich in protein, contains all essential amino acids, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper and fiber. It is just as versatile and easy to cook as rice.
Here is a great recipe, tested and absolutely approved by demanding kids!

Baked Quinoa with Spinach and Cheese
Based on recipe by Martha Rose Shulman
Serves 4 to 6 people

- 16oz bag organic baby spinach.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
- 1 medium onion, chopped.
- 2 garlic cloves.
- 4 cups of cooked quinoa* (1 cup uncooked).
- 2 large organic eggs.
- 3/4 cup gruyere cheese, grated.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh sage, chopped.
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated.
- Salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Oil a 2 quart gratin or baking dish.
Heat a medium frying pan. Wash the spinach, add to the pan, and wilt in the liquid left on leaves after washing. As soon as the spinach wilts, remove from the heat and let it cool. Squeeze and chop (use the water, rich in vitamins, to cook the quinoa).

Wipe the pan dry, and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Stir in the spinach and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Beat the eggs and add 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Stir in the cooked quinoa*, the spinach, the cheese and the sage. Stir and scrape into the gratin or baking dish. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top, add the rest of the olive oil. Place it in the oven and bake it for about 25 minutes.

* To cook quinoa in advance, boil 2 1/2 cups of water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt. Add 1 cup of uncooked quinoa. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-17 minutes. Remove from the cook top. Let it sit undisturbed for 10 minutes to finish cooking.

"If you are what you eat...

...then I only want to eat the good stuff," proclaimed Remy, the food-obsessed rat (and aspiring chef) in Ratatouille. I couldn't agree more.

Here's food for thought: Do you know where the second most profitable McDonald's after the one in the United States is? Any guesses? Would have guessed France? C'est vrai, according to The New York Times. Someone call José Bové. Vite!

McDonald's France plans to open a restaurant in the commercial mall under the Louvre, adding to the 1,140 restaurants across the country. Mon Dieu, so many in Julia Child's "La Belle France"? What's next, Dunkin' Donuts?

As for me, I'm always trying to infuse the French art of dining here. Luxuriating over a delicious meal in a cozy, candle-lit bistro with great conversation. I found that at Champignon, right next to my Mexican haunt Salsa y Salsa. There's a more casual sister café next door selling coffee, sandwiches, and such, but mostly served in disposables (negative).

They have a $20 prix-fix menu: a glass of wine, soup or salad, and entrée (chicken or salmon). When I asked if they could veganize, they said yes.

Even in New York City, which is often touted as the most Veg-Friendly City in the U.S., you rarely see "vegan" on a mainstream menu. But you simply need to ask.

My wine: a glass of French rosé.

The daily soup was chicken noodle, so I opted for the salad. Loved the spicy and nutritious arugala.

Vegetables and linguini sauteed in garlic and oil. So simple, and so comforting. The waiter was very accomodating, and assured me there was no chicken stock, butter or other animal by-products.

Visit Champignon, 7th Ave. (btwn 21st & 22nd St.), New York City.